Chapter 14

Everyone was here except him!...

Sophia thought while they all sat in the magistrate's office waiting for the so-called groom to make his grand appearance. There was no need for a white wedding.

Olivia insisted it wasn't necessary and Sophia didn't mind, she wasn't stable for the stress that came with it though. So they all arranged a mini court wedding and after the paperwork are signed everyone would converge at the Bestman mansion for an extravagant reception.

Maureen already saw to it that the maids at home prepared assorted dishes for her guests. Her stepmother was more enthusiastic than the bride herself, she dressed in a peach Alexander Mac Quinn gown which barely covered her upper bosom.

But unlike her, Olivia dressed in a simple carton color skirt and blouse and matched with a flowery hat and her red bottom heels. She looked quite exotic and still maintained her simplicity, unlike Maureen who looked like someone from a nightclub.

Sophia's clothing needed not to be explained, because she was always as beautiful as ever with her nice curly hair graciously styled and the tendrils left to fall, her caramel skin wasn't one to be forgotten but the shame was, she couldn't stand to reveal the beauty of her wedding gown. It was such a waste.

Maureen had thought it irrelevant to even purchase one but Stanley insisted.

But most of all. Sophia cried in silence, she wished her mother and father were still alive to witness their only daughter getting married. Even if it wasn't the best matrimony ever, but she still wished for them, and adding to her frustrations was the lateness of the so-called groom.

If he was going to stand her up in public he should at least have mentioned it before they all dragged their feet to the courtroom. She sighed.

"The guy was typically spoilt and lacked discipline," She thought.

While still in her thoughts someone barged in looking disarrayed.

Jason!.

Everyone turned and some murmured. Olivia rushed to her son who was escorted by his best friend.

"Oh dear boy, I was so worried, I thought something bad had happened, why do you look so scattered especially in front of the in-laws" she cautioned while straightening his suit.

He slapped her hands off him.

"They're not my in-laws" he spat and moved forward to the main crowd.

He apologized to the magistrate and murmured a word to his father who ignored him.

After a while of his arrival, the occasion began with them signing lots of papers and some others as witnesses. And the rest audience. It didn't take long and the certificates were signed.

Everyone clapped for them. Jason never spared a glance at his new wife even when he arrived. He was lost in another world. But Sophia sat there trying to make eye contact and see if there was a soul behind that body of his. She was frustrated at his aloofness.

Maureen invited her new in-laws to her after-party to celebrate, but Olivia claimed she would be famished after the main reception and while Ernest had other matters to attend to. By then Jason already fled the scene alongside his bestie Sean.

At home...

Sophia lay on her bed to rest, she wasn't ready for the noise downstairs created by her stepmother's so-called friends.

Stanley walked in and sat in his favorite position on her bed facing her.

"Won't you go join the party outside, am boring" she laughed.

Stan smiled in return.

"I like boring."

Her breathing hitched for a second. If it were yesterday she heard these words she would have sworn he had feelings for her but today she is a married woman and he never fought against it.

Sophia just smiled in pity of her poor heart. It had known nothing but pain and rejection from all angles.

"Or have you forgotten am a medical doctor so am automatically boring" he continued to tease her.

"And who says doctors are boring?."

"Me?..."

"Why would you say that about your profession?."

"Well because we only marry our books and treat patients and it takes a lot of time to become a doctor which means all your life is spent on reading voluminous books and attending to patients" He shrugged.

"But I thought, having to deal with different people every day will at least make one less boring cos you get to meet people daily?."

Stan nodded in affirmation.

"True but not very true. But anyways I prefer your company to the wild ones outside. Your stepmother can be a hand full with her friends. She's celebrating like she's the one that got married, not you."

She smiled at his little tantrums, Stan never threw tantrums but he wasn't the best fan of Maureen either. The two were always at daggers drawn if not an eye challenge.

"Yes, she is. Didn't know she had so many friends too. It's not every day your stepdaughter gets married, right?."

"Right... And how is the stepdaughter feeling after getting married? Are you excited to start your new life?" He asked.

"Not at all. I mean I don't mind being in the same house with him, but why doesn't he take even the most important of things seriously?!" She asked out in frustration.

"You mean your irresponsible husband?" Stanley asked, but Sophia developed goosebumps at the mention of the word 'husband'.

It sounded foreign for the words to be addressed to her. Once she looked down at her wedding ring it sparkled under the bright white light. The Bestman's always outdid themselves to show the world they could afford anything.

She was sure Olivia Bestman picked the ring herself. She wouldn't let her stupid son mess up the preparations.

"Yes... Him."

"He's had his whole life given to him at a younger age so has no regard for anything or anyone else. I just hope he won't be a problem for you in the future? Because I won't allow anyone to step on you again. You've endured enough out of life."

"Thank you, Stan. I never got to ask you why you took it upon yourself to help me when I was on the verge of death?... I mean, hardly would anyone care for someone who isn't related to them."

"I know. But when I first saw you there that day, lying lifeless with machines supporting you, then doctor Simon informed me of your dangerous situation and how they planned to take you off the life machine if necessary things weren't done...."

"I remembered my mother and younger brother. When I was very young, they both had hereditary leukemia. My father was busy hustling for our financial needs then that he'd stay away for months and wouldn't contact us. He didn't even know my mother and brother were both dead till the day he came home with a contract from an oil company that paid him a huge allowance. He wanted to take us all on a vacation but he was too late" He stopped to breathe.

His face contorted in deep thought. Perhaps Sophia made him relive his guilt.

"I'm sorry dear, it's very painful I understand" she barely whispered.

"Yes it was and still is, I bet you understand too. Since your both parents were snatched from you at an early age."

She nodded. "Yes, Seventeen was my age when my mother died of cancer. When I close my eyes I still see her pale eyes staring at me with such hollowness in them. The sickness took more from her than I can imagine. She was once so vibrant and beautiful, more than I can ever become. But after a while, she emaciated soo much that she looked like a sack of bones. But my father still loved her till death and he mourned her till his death too."

"A pity" Stan offered. And she agreed.

"So what happened to your father and his money? I mean, I know you are a rich man's son, did he continue with the company or quit?."

"He quit after three months of pretending to use work as solace. But he found solace in politics, so he became a shark in the game and very good at it, I wasn't left out either. He devotedly trained me and my sister..."

"You have a sister?."

"Yes, luckily we didn't inherit the illness so she was my solace and I was hers."

"Where is she now?" Sophia asked concerned.

"Married. To one of my father's friends' son in London. We do speak sometimes but it's a different time zone thing and am a busy man as you know" He smiled at Sophia.

"So you decided to become a doctor to help people because you couldn't bear to see your mother and younger brother die?."

"Yeah, I did, and look where it got me, a boring life as a doctor!" They both laughed.

But Maureen cut the conversation short with her presence.

"Sophia you're still awake?... Don't you know we're taking you to your new home tomorrow? A wedding gift from Mr. Ernest and family and guess what?" She squealed happily.

"It's in paradise estate!" She announced. Sophia was less enthusiastic, what was the need for such extravagance if she couldn't walk?.

Stan and Maureen urged her to go to bed to reserve her strength for the next day while they both retired to bed and not without an obvious stare down between both of them.

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